Bowling ball return and storage system

ABSTRACT

Ball handling apparatus, comprising a ball track, a conveyor belt mounted adjacent the ball track and operable to engage balls traveling therealong, means for driving said conveyor belt at a predetermined speed, and a pressure plate and strip spaced from said track for engaging balls traveling therealong in cooperation with said conveyor belt and decelerating them to the speed of the conveyor belt.

United States Patent Zuercher 1 Mar. 14, 1972 [54] BOWLING BALL RETURN AND STORAGE SYSTEM [72] Inventor: John Zuercher, York, Pa.

[7 3] Assignee: AMF Incorporated [221 Filed: May 28, 1970 [21] Appl. No.1 41,220

[52] US. CL... ..273/49 [51] Int. Cl. ..A63d 5/02 [58] Field of Search ..273/47, 49

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,015,489 1/1962 Jones et al. .....273/47 3,300,212 1/1967 Cornell ..273/49 3,503,610 3/1970 Trubey ..273/49X Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Attorney-George W. Price and Barry H. Fishkin ABSTRACT Ball handling apparatus, comprising a ball track, a conveyor belt mounted adjacent the ball track and operable to engage balls traveling therealong, means for driving said conveyor belt at a predetermined speed, and a pressure plate and strip spaced from said track for engaging balls traveling therealong in cooperation with said conveyor belt and decelerating them to the speed of the conveyor belt.

7 4 Elaims, 5 Drawing Eig ures Patented March 14, 1972 3,649,012

' 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

FIG. I

INVPJNIOR. JOHN ZUERCHER ATTORNEY Patented March 14, 1972 4 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTOR JOHN ZUERCHER ATTORNEY Patented March 14, 1972 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 4

INVENTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 5

Patented March 14, 1972 BOWLING BALL RETURN AND STORAGE SYSTEM BACKGROUND This invention relates to bowling ball return systems and more particularly to apparatus for decelerating a bowling ball and lifting it to a bowling ball storage rack.

The bowling industry has long sought to maximize the utilization of equipment by decreasing the length of time required for the average player to bowl a game. The portion of the bowling game cycle most appropriate to a decrease in timing is that of the ball return sequence. As a result, a great deal of effort has gone into emplacing ball acceleration apparatus into the ball return system to return the ball to the bowler in even shorter time periods.

However, correspondingly little attention has been given to the portion of the ball return system at the head of the alley wherein an accelerated ball must be handled so as to lift it to the storage rack in such a fashion that no injuries will result.

SUMMARY It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a ball return system with an improved ball deceleration and lifting apparatus.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for lifting a bowling ball from a first level to a second, higher level.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide means for engaging a bowling ball at the upsweep portion of the ball return track, removing momentum therefrom and lifting it to the ball storage rack.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide means for decelerating and capturing a high velocity bowling ball adjacent a slow moving conveyor for movement along the conveyor to a ball storage rack.

In accordance with these and other objects apparatus according to the invention may comprise a ball return track, a conveyor mounted adjacent the ball return track and operable to engage bowling balls traveling therealong, and means spaced from said conveyor for decelerating and capturing a bowling ball coming along the track and urging it against said conveyor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a bowling ball storage rack and masking unit.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bowling ball storage rack shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged front view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3, taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The ball return track of most ball return systems in use today generally include a raised portion adjacent the automatic pinspotter, a raised ball storage rack adjacent the bowler at the head of the alley and a below the lane track in between the pinspotter and thestorage rack. A downsweep portion is provided in the track between the raised portion at the pinspotter unit and the below the alley portion and an upsweep portion is provided in the track between the below the alley portion and the ball storage rack.

Most ball return systems currently in use include means for accelerating the bowling ball adjacent the pinspotter end of the track to decrease the time spacing involved in returning the ball to the bowler.

And, in order to provide the ball at the storage rack at a manageable velocity a deceleration means must be provided to decelerate the ball prior to its emplacement on the ball storage rack.

With reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 and 2 disclose a bowling ball storage unit 10 which includes a housing unit 12 covering the working elements of the preferred embodiment of the invention, an opening 14 in the housing unit through which a bowling ball is delivered and a ball storage rack 16. The height of the rack decreases going away from the opening 14 so that balls will gravitate to the Y" end of the rack 16.

With reference to FIG. 3, an upsweep ball return track portion 18, comprising a pair of spaced rails 20 and 22, is mounted between the beneath the lane ball return track. designated 24, and the ball storage rack 16.

A ball deceleration apparatus according to the invention includes a ball lifting conveyor belt 26 mounted over three pulleys 28, 30 and 32, respectively, the pulleys being mounted such that one pass 34 of the conveyor belt 26 is located between spaced rails 20 and 22 and extends in front thereof as a secant to the curve of the rails to engage bowling balls coming along the upsweep track.

Pulleys 28 and 30 are idler pulleys and are rotatably mounted on shafts 34' and 36 respectively. The shafts 34' and 36 are mounted on opposed brackets 38 and 40 respectively, which are affixed to the housing 12.

Pulley 32 is mounted on a shaft 42 mounted between opposed depending brackets 44 that are mounted for pivotal motion on a sleeve 46 mounted on shaft 36. The conveyor belt 26 is driven through a drive pulley 48 mounted on shaft 42. Drive pulley 48 and pulley 32 may be made as one unit rotatably mounted on shaft 42, as shown in FIG. 5, or, alternatively, as separate pulleys fixedly mounted on a shaft 42 rotatably mounted in brackets 44. In either case, rotation of drive pulley 48 is directly transmitted to pulley 32.

The drive pulley 48 is driven by an electric motor 50 having an output shaft 52. A pulley 54 is mounted on shaft 52 in spaced relationship with pulley 48 and a drive belt 56 transmits the rotary motion of the motor through pulley 48 to pulley 32 to drive the conveyor belt in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 3.

A pair of horizontally extending arms 60 are mounted at one end thereof on shaft 42, each being welded to the end of a bracket 44, forming a pair of L-shaped weldments 61. Thus, the weldments 61 are pivotally mounted on shaft 36 and include shaft 42. A spring mount 62 is mounted at the other end of each of the arms 60 and receives one end of a spring 64. The other end of springs 64 are mounted to a rod 66 mounted between the sides of the housing unit. The action of springs 64 on arms 60 pivots the L-shaped weldments 61 in a counterclockwise direction, urging shaft 42 away from conveyor belt pass 34 to maintain the conveyor in a taut condition.

In a similar fashion, motor 50 is mounted on a channel shaped bracket 68 that is afiixed to a U-shaped bracket 70. The legs" of the U-shaped bracket include apertures 72 that mount the U-shaped bracket on a rod 74 mounted for rotatable movement between a pair of hook shaped supports 75. An arm 76 is mounted on rod 74 and includes a spring mount 78 at the far end thereof. A spring 80 is mounted between mounting member 78 and the rod 66. The effect of spring 80 is to bias rod 74 and the U-shaped bracket 70 in a counterclockwise direction, thus maintaining the tension on the drive belt 56. Electric power is supplied to motor 50 by a cord 82 connected to a fixture 84 which in turn connects into a house supply.

A strip 86 of leather or like material is mounted opposite conveyor belt pass 34. The strip 86 is in substantially spaced relationship with the conveyor belt pass and spaced therefrom a distance less than the diameter of a bowling ball; One end of the strip 86 is mounted adjacent the housing unit opening 14 by a spindle 88 and a clip assembly 90. The outer end of strip 86 is wrapped around a spindle 92 and pulled taut by a pair of springs 94 connected to the end of the strip. The other ends of the springs 94 are mounted each to a bracket 96 mounted to the housing unit. Spindle 92 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 98. Shaft 98 is mounted between a pair of spaced arms 100 connected to the frame housing unit at 102.

A pressure member 106 is pivotally mounted on shaft 98 and includes a pair of opposed upwardly extending side plates 108 and a pressure plate 110 mounted between the bottoms of the side plates. Each of the side plates 108 includes an aperture 112 therein and the pressure member is mounted on shaft 93 by the latter passing through the apertures 112.

The pressure plate 110 engages the top of strip 86 and is of an inverted V cross section, so as to accommodate the clamping of strip 86 between plate 110 and the top of a bowling ball. A rod 114 is mounted between side plates 108 adjacent the top thereof and a pair of springs 1 16 are mounted at one end thereof to rod 114 and at the other end thereof each to one of the brackets 98. This arrangement urges strip 86 toward conveyor pass 34.

With this arrangement, a ball coming up the upsweep portion impacts between strip 86 and conveyor pass 34 opposite pressure plate 110. This impact initially decelerates the ball, which will then skid along between strip 86 and conveyor belt pass 34 until it decelerates to the speed of the conveyor belt, which will then carry the ball up to opening 14 and deliver it onto rack 16. The distance that a given bowling ball will skid after the initial impact and before being gripped by the moving conveyor belt depends on the weight and speed thereof, and on the strength of the springs 94 and 1 16. The less spring pressure on plate 110, the higher along strip 86 and conveyor belt pass 34 a given ball will skid.

Springs should be selected such that, with a given ball accelerator, the heaviest ball will stop skidding just before opening 14. With this selection, the system will afford the minimum safe ball return time.

In operation, when the ball impacts against strip 86 and conveyor belt pass 34 and skids therealong, the ball progressively bends the conveyor belt pass 34 inwardly to a position between the rails 20 and 22 since the distance between the strip and the normal position of the belt pass is less than the diameter of the bowling ball. The ball also forces strip 86 to conform to the V in pressure plate 110. In this manner the ball rides upwardly along the rails, the center thereof taking the path indicated by phantom line 118. The effect of the inward movement of the conveyor belt is to pull pulley 32 to the left as seen in FIG. 3. This pivots brackets 44 in a clockwise direction. As shaft 42 is pulled to the left, drive belt 56 pulls the motor assembly to the left. These movements are resisted by the spring bias provided by springs 64 and 80, providing a shock absorbing capability to the system and also returning the system to normal after the bowling ball passes the strip 86 and belt portion 34.

Having now fully set forth both structure and operation of preferred embodiments of the concept underlying the present invention, it may be that various other embodiments as well as certain variations and modifications of the embodiments herein shown and described will occur to those skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with said underlying concepts. All such embodiments, variations, and modifications as incorporate the spirit of the invention and depend upon its underlying concept are consequently to be considered as within the scope of the claims appended herebelow, unless the claims by their language expressly state otherwise.

I claim:

1. Bowling ball return apparatus, comprising:

an upwardly curved bowling ball return track portion,

a conveyor belt mounted adjacent said track portion and positioned such that a ball coming along said track portion will impinge on one pass of said conveyor belt,

means for driving the conveyor belt at a predetermined velocity,

a strip mounted in substantial spaced relationship with said conveyor belt pass a distance therefrom less than the diameter of a bowling ball, and

pressure plate means for engaging the side of said strip away from said conveyor belt for urging said strip toward conveyor belt pass such that a ball coming along said track portion will be retained between said strip and said conveyor belt pass and be decelerated thereby to the velocity of the conveyor bolt,

the upwardly curved return track portion comprising a pair of spaced rails forming parallel curves, and

the conveyor belt being mounted between the spaced rails with said one pass of the conveyor belt normally forming a secant to said curves.

2. Bowling ball return apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conveyor belt is mounted over a plurality of pulleys, and means are provided mounting at least one of said pulleys for movement with respect to said conveyor belt pass forming a secant with respect to the curved rails such that the conveyor belt pass can be pressed back to between said rails as a bowling ball moving therealong is pressed thereagainst by said strip.

3. Bowling ball return apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a spring bias is provided in conjunction with said means movably mounting said pulley to tension said conveyor belt and return it to normal after a bowling ball has traversed the upwardly curved track portion.

4. Bowling ball return apparatus, comprising:

an upwardly curved bowling ball return track portion,

a conveyor belt mounted adjacent said track portion and positioned such that a ball coming along said track portion will impinge on one pass of said conveyor belt,

means for driving the conveyor belt at a predetermined velocity,

a strip mounted in substantial spaced relationship with said conveyor belt pass a distance therefrom less than the diameter of a bowling ball, and

pressure plate means for engaging the side of said strip away from said conveyor belt for urging said strip toward said conveyor belt pass such that a ball coming along said track portion will be retained between said strip and said conveyor belt pass and be decelerated thereby to the velocity of the conveyor belt,

said pressure plate means including side plate means, a pressure plate therebetween for engaging said strip, a rod between said side plates and spring means mounted to the rod for urging said pressure plate against said strip. 

1. Bowling ball return apparatus, comprising: an upwardly curved bowling ball return track portion, a conveyor belt mounted adjacent said track portion and positioned such that a ball coming along said track portion will impinge on one pass of said conveyor belt, means for driving the conveyor belt at a predetermined velocity, a strip mounted in substantial spaced relationship with said conveyor belt pass a distance therefrom less than the diameter of a bowling ball, and pressure plate means for engaging the side of said strip away from said conveyor belt for urging said strip toward conveyor belt pass such that a ball coming along said track portion will be retained between said strip and said conveyor belt pass and be decelerated thereby to the velocity of the conveyor belt, the upwardly curved return track portion comprising a pair of spaced rails forming parallel curves, and the conveyor belt being mounted between the spaced rails with said one pass of the conveyor belt normally forming a secant to said curves.
 2. Bowling ball return apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conveyor belt is mounted over a plurality of pulleys, and means are provided mounting at least one of said pulleys for movement with respect to said conveyor belt pass forming a secant with respect to the curved rails such that the conveyor belt pass can be pressed back to between said rails as a bowling ball moving therealong is pressed thereagainst by said strip.
 3. Bowling ball return apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a spring bias is provided in conjunction with said means movably mounting said pulley to tension said conveyor belt and return it to normal after a bowling ball has traversed the upwardly curved track portion.
 4. Bowling ball return apparatus, comprising: an upwardly curved bowling ball return track portion, a conveyor belt mounted adjacent said track portion and positioned such that a ball coming along said track portion will impinge on one pass of said conveyor belt, means for driving the conveyor belt at a predetermined velocity, a strip mounted in substantial spaced relationship with said conveyor belt pass a distance therefrom less than the diameter of a bowling ball, and pressure plate means for engaging the side of said strip away from said conveyor belt for urging said strip toward said conveyor belt pass such that a ball coming along said track portion will be retained between said strip and said conveyor belt pass and be decelerated thereby to the velocity of the conveyor belt, said pressure plate means including side plate means, a pressure plate therebetween for engaging said strip, a rod between said side plates and spring means mounted to the rod for urging said pressure plate against said strip. 